Shloka 1

Śānti-parva 168: Śoka-nivṛtti-buddhi (The Cognition that Reduces Grief) and Piṅgalā’s Nairāśya

Devanagari script

(दाक्षिणात्य अधिक पाठका ३ “लोक मिलाकर कुल ८९३ “लोक हैं) नम शा+ (0) आज अत+- सप्तषष्ट्यांधेकशततमो< ध्याय: धर्म

Transliteration

Vaiśampāyana uvāca: ity uktavati Bhīṣme tu tūṣṇīṁ-bhūte Yudhiṣṭhiraḥ | papracchāvasathaṁ gatvā bhrātṝn Vidura-pañcamān ||

Translation

Vaiśampāyana berkata: “Wahai Janamejaya! Setelah Bhīṣma selesai berkata-kata lalu terdiam, Raja Yudhiṣṭhira kembali ke kediamannya dan mengajukan pertanyaan kepada saudara-saudaranya—dengan Vidura sebagai yang kelima di antara mereka.” Adegan ini menjadi jeda perenungan setelah ajaran Bhīṣma, ketika Yudhiṣṭhira mencari nasihat dari lingkaran terdekatnya untuk menegaskan jalan yang tepat dalam perkara dharma, artha, dan kāma.

Word by Word

• वैशम्पायनः: Vaiśampāyana
• वैशम्पायनः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैशम्पायन
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• उवाच: said
• Type: Verb
• Root: वच्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• इति: thus
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति

• उक्तवति: when (he) had spoken
• उक्तवति: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: उक्तवत्
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• भीष्मे: in/when Bhīṣma (was)
• भीष्मे: Adhikarana
• Type: Noun
• Root: भीष्म
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• तु: but/indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु

• तूष्णींभूते: having become silent
• तूष्णींभूते: Adhikarana
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तूष्णींभूत
• Form: Masculine, Locative, Singular

• युधिष्ठिरः: Yudhiṣṭhira
• युधिष्ठिरः: Karta
• Type: Noun
• Root: युधिष्ठिर
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• पप्रच्छ: asked
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ्
• Form: Perfect, Third, Singular

• अवसथम्: the dwelling/house
• अवसथम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवसथ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• गत्वा: having gone
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम्
• Form: क्त्वा (absolutive), Parasmaipada (usage-neutral)

• भ्रातॄन्: brothers
• भ्रातॄन्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: भ्रातृ
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural

• विदुरम्: Vidura
• विदुरम्: Karma
• Type: Noun
• Root: विदुर
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

• पञ्चमम्: as the fifth
• Type: Adjective
• Root: पञ्चम
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Singular

Speaker

वैशम्पायन उवाच

Characters & Entities

• Vaiśampāyana
• Janamejaya
• Bhīṣma
• Yudhiṣṭhira
• Vidura
• Pāṇḍava brothers (the four younger brothers implied)
• avasatha (residence)

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse highlights a dharmic method of decision-making: after receiving authoritative instruction (Bhīṣma), a ruler like Yudhiṣṭhira still seeks deliberation and counsel from trusted elders and kin (including Vidura), indicating that ethical governance requires reflection, consultation, and clarity before action.

What is happening in the narrative?

Bhīṣma has concluded a portion of his discourse and becomes silent. Yudhiṣṭhira returns to his residence and questions his brothers, counting Vidura as the fifth participant, setting up their separate viewpoints on dharma, artha, and kāma and leading toward Yudhiṣṭhira’s eventual decision.